New Year 2010 - The year of the TIGER!

Happy New year guys... hope this coming year brings more success and happiness, better health and wealth, and lot's more good things!

2009 is one the my best and happiest year, as i have alots of new friends and met alot of new people from many country, such as Pascal and Nico from Switzerland, Dr.Sergey and his friends from Russia, visited alots of places in Sabah especially, enjoyed my photography journey, i've finally graduated (after 3 years of suffering), got my new job (2nd job in my life :D, and i resign 6 months later!), start my new business after resign, got my new Macbook Pro, and alot more, countless outing, makan2, yamcha, reunions... and not to forget, lot's of new fishes!

Besides that, i have been lucky to have my photos publish in magazines (Digital Camera magazine, February 2009) & Breeze magazine, Sabah, in websites such as www.aquascaperz.com, www.seriouslyfish.com, Venezualan publication and few more.. It is very meaningful for me, particularly in my photography journey. Very motivational and hopefully, it will continue in 2010 with a bigger scale! wish me luck!

In 2009, i've finally obtained what i've dream for in the past 10 years or more in my fish keeping hobby. I got myself the Xiphophorus montezumae (oh god, this is the most anticipated fish of the year, and now, i have over 40 4-5 months old fishes swimming happily in my pond!). Micropoecilia parae (just recently) as well as Cyphotilapia frontosa Moba and Mpimbwe, Tanichthys micagemmae, Parosphromenus sp.. and many more! It was unbelievable and i'm sure, 2010 will bring me more new fishes which added up to my list of fish i've kept and bred (over 40 species now..)

Speaking of this new fishes, i've just shot some of the photos.. it's been a big challenge for me, shooting 1 week old Tanichthys micagemmae, without any macro lens! This is the best i could get (for now.. )

My latest Cyphotilapia frontosa Mpimbwe

Alpha Male

and the smallest of the group

Couldnt shot the Moba yet as they were in the pond.

Well, just few more hours before we bid goodbye to 2009 and welcome 2010, which is also my year of Tiger according to the Chinese Zodiac! I got to go for dinner and come back, online while watching TV during the countdown to 2010! :D less jam and more happening... !

Guppy Genetic with Dr.Sergey Apryatin

Last sunday, 27 Dec 2009, Dr. Sergey and his friends come to Penang for a visit and also gives seminar on guppy genetics. It was very nice to meet all of them.

We visited Andrew's shop, my place, Helven's shop, Penang Bird Park and Yong's shop. It was a fun day, a nice day trip with my new Russian friends. Dr. Sergey and his wife (i'm so sorry, i cant recall your name, pls let me know ya if you see this.. thanks!) came from Moscow, Russia while Tanya and Eliante (wrong spelling maybe, i'm so sorry) is currently working in Singapore.

We had good chats all day long, sharing experiences from both country, learning bits of Russian and Malay. Besides visiting fish places, of course, food! We went for ice kacang, chendol, laksa, coconut drinks and etc. At night, Dr.Sergey gives us some seminar on guppy genetics, at Pantai Bersih seafood restaurants.

It was very new for me, and thanks Dr.Sergey for the whole new color cart that i'm assure, it will be very helpful in developing strains in fancy guppy in the future. During the seminars.. we have some Q&A, to get better understanding (and i recon to others, to have some knowledge on basic genetics first, to get a clearer picture). However, Dr.Sergey took very good and clear microscoped photos of the guppy skins and pigments to further clarify the statement.

We had a sumptuous seafood dinner, with rays, mantis shrimps, clams.. We finish at about 11 smtg.. but the accident on the Penang bridge was bad, and the ferry waits are too long! We went to mamak for a drink and chat before heading to the bridge to found out that it is finally cleared. I think we reached the Tunes Hotel at about 12 smtg and bid goodbyes. I was invited to join them to Langkawi but, well.. i dont wanna disturb their trips.. maybe next time.. :p

Really hope to see you guys again, and it's either Singapore or Moscow (let's hope for a cheap airfares :P )

Both are working in Singapore, and was very nice to chat with.. hope to see them again soon!

Group photo

Group photo

Penang, food heaven!

Recently i have the chance to tried some nice famous tasty foods of Penang while on a roadtrip and visits. As a Penangnites, honestly, i don't know much about all the famous spot, as i felt we doesn't need to go far to get tasty food in Penang, it's everywhere! :D

So here, i'm sharing with you guys places to get nice food around Penang, and will regularly update this blog with my food hunting! btw, for food trip, N95 makes good companion, not too big like DSLR to make it feel awkward! haha.. just kidding...

This is the famous Char Koay Teow in Penang. It is located at one small shop (forgot the name) on Lorong Selamat. Pretty much near to the Umno building near Komtar. It is prepared by few aunty taking turns cooking, as the orders coming in like mad all the time. Customers would line up, waiting for tables and average time to get your Char Koay Teow is around 30minutes per table. Imagine that! Nothing spectacular about it actually, except for the BIG prawns which is really fresh! Overall, i rated 4.5/5 for this koay teow.. and it doesn't come cheap, it cost RM7 each plate, 3 times more than normal Char Koay Teow! One reminder, do not order the Ice Kacang there though... it don't taste good. Fried Oyster Omelet is good though.

This is the newest thing i tried in Penang island. It's called Chicken Chop just like everywhere else, but the gravy is different. The chicken piece is also wrapped with eggs and fried together, and top with potato gravy and some peas. It was smooth and creamy, but IMHO, not rich enough in taste and flavour. Rated 4/5. Price forgotten. Oh, it was located on the roadside of Burmah Road, just beside Hong Leong. Small coffee-shop, with a nice 'kopitiam' feel.

And this, was not actually Penang famous.. actually it's my dinner! haha.. mom bought this HUGE prawns for Rm40 for 12 prawns. We asked our chef to cook "Kam Heong" style and it taste good! 2 prawns per person is more than enough.. :D

Arowana showcase

Following the trend of Arowana recently, i've been receiving some request for photoshoot for their arowanas for both showcase and selling. Here's few High-Back Gold Arowana from a customer in Alma, Bukit Mertajam.

My latest collection

Tiger Endlers

Green Swordtail

Pineapple Swordtail

Viennese Emerald Doublesword Guppy

Arowana

This arowana belongs to my friend, Andrew. Took the shots because of few reason. Firstly, It was supposingly a RED Arowana, but it turns out

to be this color, very strange. Secondly, look at the finnage, it's big and wide. The arowana seems to have problem with it's growth and somehow

stunted, hence the finnage is way out of proportion compared to normal arowana at that size. It was fun playing with 2 flash this time,

SB600 and SB800, using the very own Nikon CLS Flash system. Simply, one of the best! Thanks Nikon!

My Crystal Red Shrimp rack

Finally, i'm done with my rack of 4 4ft tanks which are custom-made to fit the TTF racks. Besides, i don't dare to use the standard 4ft tanks due to height and weight. Each level are said to be able to withstand over 200kg. Currently, my tank weights over 150kg, with the water and substrates.

Let me start with the equipments:

TTF rack, 6ft (tall) X 4ft (wide) X 2ft (depth?)

DIY T8 e-ballast and reflector,

"Best" brand T8 light fixtures with e-ballast and reflector

Phillips BrightBoost T8 tube

Ready to lit up!

View of the reflector postion

Sponge filter, China brand from KW - 2 each tank.
Aquadine II 12000 air-pump

Substrates:

ADA Amazonia II
Aquaclay
Rocks for some scape

Plants:

Narrow leaf fern
Java moss
Flame moss
Spiky moss
Taiwan moss
Singapore moss

Inhabitants:

Currently 2 otocinclus each tank and Sakura in on of the tank for testing.
Going to add CRS, hopefully by next week or two.
Oh, the lowest tank is for my CPO.. currently testing with one CPO too.. it survived the first week, good sign!

Seems like my Sakura is lovin the tank pretty much!

Shout out!

Well.. this month's been a very hectic month and i have alot of thoughts to shout out, especially to those who keep bugging me directly or indirectly..

1. "Where you are going is more important than how fast you are going", so stop complaining and telling me what to do will ya, i know what i'm doing and i have my own plan and my own way!

2. "I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big"

3. "Are you thinking what i'm thinking that i think that you're thinking because if you think that i think what i think i'm thinking then we've got a problem?"

4. "My style of deal-making is quite simple and straightforward. I aim very high, and then i just keep pushing and pushing and pushing to get what i'm after. Sometimes i settle for less than i sought, but in most cases i still end up with what i want."

5. "My experience is that if you're fighting for something you believe in - even if it means alienating some people along the way - things usually work for the best in the end."

6. "The most important thing in life is to love what you're doing, because that's the only way you'll ever be really good at it."

7. "I'm not crazy, my reality is just different than yours." and i enjoyed every minutes of my insanity! LOL...

8. "Don't tell me what to do, tell it to yourself first"

9. "Think positively"

10. to be continued....

This is a collection of quotes i gathered from the internet, and are very related to my thoughts ( and some modifications/add-ons) Im a really stubborn guy, so.. it's either u go my way, or see ya! (although i do listen to certain ppl... :P)

Updates: Cryptocoryne elliptica

Remember the crypt elliptica i've collected last time? It grew fast. From one plant, i have over 15 plants now, thanks to leaf propagation method. The original plant flowers too.. with the 2nd spike coming halfway..

Some flower shot:

Need to improve my shots.. will post up later on

Harley Davidson, Live to Ride!

During my latest wedding photoshoot for Kysham & Vivian wedding (our MSJ geng!), i was given the chances to ride on a Harley, while shooting the wedding car parade.. It was err.... an exciting ride, and i was partially deaf afterwards! It was real loud.. but comfy, unlike the Yamaha Virago or worst, Jaguh!

I was also lucky enough, to be able to use my friend, Valentine's Canon 5D MKII and 16-35 f/2.8L! This are some of the shots of the Harley Davidson i took.